After all he’s put them through, after the obviously bogus sob story he gave them, after his reaffirmed turn back to the Douche Side, NOW he begs for help from the people he all but called peons just moments ago.

Up until a couple comics ago I was willing to give Best the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he HAD changed. Maybe he WAS turning over a new leaf. Nope. Still a jackass. Let him drop.

No, his dishonesty in anything less than a (for him) life threatening situation is the last straw.

Well, not last.

See, I can dig where Best is coming from. He’s your average asshole: self-centered, self-absorbed, willing to do a lot to ensure his OWN comforts, not so willing to sacrifice anything important to him for some other slob. I’m not saying he’s the sort of guy who’d make change in the collection plate; he’s more the sort that would just sleep in on Sunday after another 180-proof Saturday night party.

But, he claims the title of hero, and though he has the chops – I mean, it’s not like he doesn’t have combat skills and straight up high ranks in *everything* he uses even once in a while. He’s smart, he’s cunning, he’s got looks, he’s got physical capability.

But to me (and to most who are familiar with – say – Aragorn) a Hero is not just someone with skills. Let me also point out that Aragorn is not Arthur. I don’t think he was ever meant to BE an Arthurian sort of king. And not a lot of folks are hugely familiar with the “real” Arthur of the old legends; they are familiar with the Arthur of “Camelot” and “Excalibur,” which are stories about Arthur that are incomplete to say the least, and completely inaccurate in some ways. So popular thought about Arthur is pretty different from what’s in the book as it were.

So people expect a hero to be badass, sure, but they also expect him to treat his fellow man with some measure of respect. Best lacks that – he has shown no respect for anyone in the group thus far, and really not much respect for ANY person in all the interactions we’ve seen.

It’s that lack of respect that makes me dislike him. He is already an accomplished and masterful warrior; he definitely fits the bill of Hero in certain ways. But he has no heart. His heroism is self serving and self aggrandizing and is, for me, empty. He’s a hollow hero, if you will.

Now, show me him changing that – to have even one time where Best treats someone WELL, does right by them…for that person to perhaps be willing to fight for or even suffer for Best. THAT will make me feel a little differently, because it will entail (if not real change) at least a MUCH better attempt at play-acting a Hero.

Right. All that stuff is a great reason to hate him. Hating him because he cried out for help when his life is in peril is what I don’t get. All that means is that he has a self preservation instinct, as I’m sure everyone who hasn’t had theirs magically removed in this universe does.

You don’t leave someone to die just for being an asshole. Best didn’t attack anyone this time so there’s no real moral choice involved. They’ll save him but they might employ some kind of “You’ve dug your own tomb” scare tactic before they do.

Agreed–the actual heroes in this story simply wouldn’t do that. I just hope that no matter what Best says or does afterward if they manage to save him, they just walk away. No discussion, no heart to heart, not putdowns, no arguments. Because what would punish Best the most is being ignored and having no audience.

Sgt Mike – pretty much the Viet Nam equivalent of Bill Mauldin – once did a cartoon showing a Marine holding up his pants with one hand, next to a sign pointing toward the latrines; another Marine is saying “A snake bit you where? Man – you’re gonnna find out who your friends are>…”

You realize that leaving him to die would make you a bigger douchebag than him, right? He never actually refused to help the party when the chips were down, so choosing to leave him would essentially be killing him because he was rude to you.

Belay those pleas for help, Payet. You really should have hung out with the group more. Instead you roped them into coming on this quest and have been nothing but rubble. Is it any wonder they find you rappelling? Suddenly you’re frayed that you’re just playing out your string, knot that you paid any attention until now.

My guess is Byron’s hand comes down and pulls him up next page (provided it’s not a chapter title) although GA can be so unpredictable and I suppose there wouldn’t be much point to the vortex if someone didn’t fall into it. I’m sure it’ll all be for the Best.

From a writerly perspective, it seems like the likeliest is one of them foolishly takes a moment to try and chastise him when he has to listen, and he falls, because people hanging onto walls do not actually have time for speeches.
Though with his present pose I do still get this image of Byron slamming both hands onto Best’s:
“Now, now. Where have I seen this before? Oh yes, I remember! This is exactly the way your father looked before he died. And now here’s my little secret: I killed Geddit Best!”

Everyone misunderstand the page15. On page 13, we saw Payet to be an asshole, who is willing to change. On the page 15, we saw Best to be a disturbed hero. I think, and I believe, that he saw something horrifiying. Like all his new comrades, whom he came to like, began to bond to, are destined for something bad, maybe even for to be sacrificed, only to make Best some kind of saviour. That would explain his reaction and burst out. He didn’t said: “Because I am!” just to shout it into someone’s face. He said that boiling in anguish.

That’s what I don’t get. Everybody is so pissy with Best because he had a melt down. Until we know why, I’d like to hold my opinion on whether or not he’s actually changing. I mean, if all he did was miss a note during a Rock Fest or something, okay, he deserves the hate. But if he actually saw something horrible- can we blame him for freaking out really?

As for this page, all I can do is sincerely hope that they don’t give him one of those long speeches about “teamwork and not being such an self centered douche” and whatnot. Mostly because I don’t think it would really change anything for Best, but also because he’s hanging from a cliff with a vortex trying to eat him. Not the best time for speeches guys. Just pull him up like we know you will.

I suddenly imagined the screen going greyscale and a question mark with red and blue lightning bolts appearing in the corner.

“I should probably save him. After all, he helped bring me back. Then again, he said we’d be even if I helped him find the basin. And look how he screwed that up. Maybe I’m better off just letting him fall.”

I don’t see what all the fuss is about, at his best he’s just hanging, so harm done. Sure he’s been kind of a downer lately with all the possible implications of unfulfiled destiny but then again i’m just basin it on it’s reactions, must he be the fall guy just because he lost his grip in a rough patch?

I’m not clear on why the ceiling suddenly split. In fact, the whole trip to the basin has been kinda foggy the more I try to put it in a discrete description. Neat trick how you actually had me goin’ that maybe he -oughtn’t- to get saved. What will happen is one thing, but, wow, I really hate the guy to casually forget the moral background theory.
Middle road: Someone shouts some taunt about how he’d survive it anyway. ;)

I think he’s gonna fall. Maybe the group will try their earnest to save him. Maybe they’ll hesitate for just a moment or fight over whether to save him and that will mean they don’t get him fast enough. Either way the group will blame themselves.

When we next see him Best will be changed somehow, and whatever will have happened to him, whatever Best will have become, the group will know that they did that to him.

My only real reasoning is that we don’t really know what the vortex is or what it does. Seems to me we’re gonna have to find out somehow. Plus if we’re looking at Byron’s whole guilt and anguish thing it would be another thing for him to regret. The fact that Byron was the one who accidentally knocked Best down is too well in line with that to be coincidental. Especially since Byron, having thrown the axe, should really be up front in this line up. He was specifically moved a notch back, presumably sending Syrnj first off panel, so this could happen.

Add to that the fact that Bandit’s spirit is still at large and we may very well be building up to a situation where Byron is given multiple tangible manifestations of his guilt and remorse. From a writing standpoint turning the inner demons into outer demons can be a handy tool in a lot of ways. Of course now I’m getting ahead of myself, but it really all does seem to add up quite nicely. Of course it always does when I’m in rampant speculation mode. I can’t say the speculation’s got a great track record though, so we’ll see what happens.

The appalling attrition rate for baseless speculation is no reason to cease. Epileptic Tree Theories are one of the most appealing parts of this comic.

I would likewise not be surprised if he fell, though I would expect varying levels of guilt tripping, including a return of the indifference shrug. Mostly, if he falls, I predict a long awaited return of Bandit. There will be much rejoicing.

Alternatively, Phil, T, and John, could just be getting our hopes up purely to dash them, mostly just because they can, and somehow we find it all the more enjoyable. Who knows? Maybe we’re the crazy ones.

To those wondering how some of us could be so callous or question Best’s motives even now, when he saw something upsetting in the basin and is now clearly in danger and frightened:

For my part, I don’t question his present responses. I understand, I just don’t care.

An Epic A-Hole finally exhibiting an honest emotional response will not suddenly make me like him, nor do I believe it will suddenly change everything (it might inspire him to change–we’ll have to wait and see). He has behaved absolutely wretchedly, openly mocking the other characters’ distress, pain, and failure in their Harki mission–and they were murdered. So why should I care?

Would I pull the Epic A-Hole to safety if I could? Yes, because he’s not actually evil and that’s the right thing to do (although I still think he could have gotten Byron killed simply for the the sake of his own amusement and aggrandizement). Would I give a crap about any subsequent thanks or want him around afterward? Heck no. If he wanted to thank me, he could leave me alone and only come back after he’s grown up. Maybe.

Speaking of which, it would not surprise me if in the end we discover Sepia Best is a teenager.

I don’t think anyone’s claiming that crying for help right now is a sign of change. Pretty much just a sign that he’s about to fall to his doom. That’s not complicated shit right there. Pretty universal response. Can’t really be counted for or against him.

I don’t know why anyone would criticize questioning his motives with the basin reaction. We don’t know what he saw. We don’t know his motives. All we know is that he suddenly made an enormous ass out of himself and it wasn’t all that surprising. I’d hardly list it as a sign of anything just yet, though it stands testament to his behavior thus far that no one blinked when Best started acting like an big ol’ manchild. Aside from that the moment seems pretty much designed to bring about questions and speculation. If you’re not questioning his motives there then I don’t even know what you’re doing.

I suspect you might be misinterpreting the presental of opposing theories regarding the basin and resistance to those who would use crying for help when his life is in danger as another mark against him. The theories are just that. No one knows what the hell he saw and we’re all having fun guessing. The resistance to those who would use today’s page as another mark against him isn’t supposed to imply that it should be a mark in his favor. When opposing an overly extreme viewpoint one does not by default assume the opposite extreme. I mean, maybe I’m misreading the comments, but if someone suddenly loved Best because of this I’d find that almost as outlandish as if someone suddenly hated Best for this. The guy’s got a lot on his record already. Hating him for this after letting the rest slide is like vilifying Jack the Ripper for his habit of missing curfew. If nothing else it’s surprising and confusing.

Only Best seemed shocked by what they saw in the basin. Syr’nj seemed to be expressing disappointment in Best — that he will always be narcissistic nearly to the point of solipsism. But it didn’t seem like this meant he should be kicked out of the group.

He’s still a pain in the ass, but still useful to have around. No reason to kick him off the rope.

Well yeah. This is a group of heroes. We’re not talking about Scar from The Lion King here. Of course they’re gonna try and save him. I mean, there’s ignoble, there’s callous, and then there’s blatant sociopathy. If they don’t even reach for him then we’re way deep into that third option.

I’m not saying don’t save him…I’m just saying I don’t care about his feelings and the real heroes should just walk away. ;-) I don’t think they can kick him out of “the group” because he’s not part of the group and never was, never wanted to be, and dragged them along on this trek for his own weird reasons, not because he thought (initially) that he needed them. As for being useful, I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to keep around someone like him no matter how skilled.

Many people are looking at this all wrong. It’s not whether Best deserves to fall or not, or whether or not the group would decide to save him or not. it’s what the rest of the group, and specifically Byron, would do in the split second they have to make the call. They haven’t the luxury of pondering Best’s motives or character. They know he’s not the villain, that he’s not evil- he’s just really annoying and self-centered.

Byron will save him. That’s what ‘good guys’ do. At least, he’ll make the attempt. Being pissed off at someone for being an asshole is no reason to kill them/let them die.

What’s potentially good for Best is, being saved might actually work a genuine change in him- It may instill a bit of humility that he had to rely on someone else to live through the day.

On the other hand, it is very much possible that he is saved and gets pissed at whoever saved him, or at the group as a whole, or at byron for the stone accident thing, or whatever. It doesmnt matter, really. If people want a popularity contest, maybe this story isnt stereotypical (or however that spells like) enough for them. Real changes take time. Sudden changes on personality are the terrain of feelgood movies. Not sure GA qualifies.
I would rather have a three-dimensional asshole than a shallow hero.

“I would rather have a three-dimensional asshole than a shallow hero.”

Yes! That is exactly what I’ve been trying to say the past few strips. I am totally cool with him being an asshole. I am also cool with him really, truly changing. But I’m not going to buy that suddenly he’s different and I don’t think the rest of the characters should either.

You ever think, maybe what Best needs, is for the party to take him with them, then show him just HOW LITTLE he really is needed? Maybe then he’d realize part of being a hero is being less than perfect.

The party’s generally got their hands pretty full. I can’t imagine they’d run out of ways to use him anytime soon. Not because he’s special but just because when looking to save the world you can always find uses for an extra pair of hands. If they had even a child with no experience they’d keep him busy helping Syrnj with the herbs and fletching with Gravedust a solid sixteen hours a day. He’d be setting up diversions in combat, scurrying items to where they need to be, probably handling Syrnj’s equipment under careful instruction when the plan required her to be elsewhere. There are not an amazing set of qualifications needed for someone to be helpful to the team. Every body counts.

I mean, sure they don’t need him, but bringing him along on the mission is not the way to show him that. It would actually kind of be counter to such a goal.

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